The Museum am Schölerberg, Osnabrück's natural history museum, reopens its doors to visitors on April 29. On an area of more than 1,800 square meters, the museum presents its new permanent exhibition - by far the largest project in the history of the museum in terms of planning time, effort and financial resources.
Around six million euros were invested in the renovation and the exhibition. The result is a lighthouse project for the city of Osnabrück with highlights such as a lifelike carbon forest, objects that are unique in some parts of the world, and modern technology such as augmented reality that brings extinct animals back to life. The new opening also marks a prelude to the anniversary year of the Peace of Westphalia and the "Nature and Environment" theme week.
The evolution of life to urban models of the future
"The museum has not had the best conditions for this major project over the past three years," says Mayor Katharina Pötter. Due to the Corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine, many construction measures have been delayed. "Nevertheless, the team has succeeded in implementing a unique project. An exhibition with supraregional appeal has been created in the Museum am Schölerberg, which enhances Osnabrück as a cultural location."
Indeed, the museum is hardly recognizable: Where exhibition topics used to be dealt with in small, individual areas, a wide, high room now shines, barrier-free and flooded with light. Prominently placed in it is the Carboniferous Forest, which recreates true-to-life and according to the latest scientific findings the Osnabrück region as it looked some 308 million years ago.
The exhibition shows the development of life from the birth of our planet to urban models of the future. It offers an exciting mix of unique exhibits, modern technology and interactive stations. Guests take a look at the past in the exhibition, contemplate the present and thus learn for the future.
First City Councilor Wolfgang Beckermann is pleased with the result: "For the museum landscape in Osnabrück, the new permanent exhibition of the Museum am Schölerberg is a real asset. A contemporary natural history museum with a significant collection is of great value for the city and the region, both for culture and education."
Mediator between man and nature - 375 years of the Peace of Westphalia.
"We have always seen ourselves as mediators between man and nature," says Norbert Niedernostheide, director of the Museum am Schölerberg. "The concern of the new exhibition is to deal with important topics of our time and to bring them closer to our guests in a fun and enjoyable way. We have been working on this under high pressure for more than three years and are now looking forward to every visitor."
With this self-image, the museum offers a great prelude to theme week 'Nature and Environment' within the anniversary program of the Peace of Westphalia, says Patricia Mersinger, head of the Department of Culture of the City of Osnabrück. "In this theme week, we ask central questions such as: What impact does the use of nature and resources have on peaceful coexistence? How do we shape the future? In its exhibition, the museum takes up these very questions and answers them in an eventful way."
Sponsors of the new permanent exhibition are Nbank, the district of Osnabrück, the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, the BINGO Umweltstiftung, the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp-Stiftung, the Haarmann-Stiftung, the Landschaftsverband Osnabrücker Land, as well as the IKEA- Stiftung and the Landschaft des ehemaligen Fürstentums Osnabrück.
